see also: in April 2008:   U. S. Customs and Border Protection Seizes $1.3 Million Worth of Counterfeit Cigarettes   Border Patrol Launches Rhode Island Search   Border Patrol Agent Search Launches in Atlanta   Two Weeks = Two Tons of Marijuana Seized at Arizona Port of Entry   CBP Officers in Texas Find $3 Million Worth of Dope in 'Empty' Sea Container   New Jersey CBP Officers Make $4 Million Heroin Candy Bar Bust   Border Patrol Agents Locate More Than Half Ton of Marijuana ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Oklahoma City - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine today dedicated its new national aviation training facility at the Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City. CBP deploys the world’s largest law enforcement air force to enhance homeland security and enforce immigration and customs laws.

The National Air Training Center will spearhead specialized aviation training of all CBP pilots and air crew. The center will bring in advanced personnel from throughout the nation who will then return to their duty station and train others.

“This modern facility will help CBP Air and Marine prepare to meet current and future challenges,” said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. “The center provides state-of-the-art tools to train more pilots and crewmembers better, faster and with fewer disruptions so that they can continue to disrupt illegal activities at our borders and shores.”

The 67,500-square-foot facility features dedicated space for computer-assisted classroom training, flight planning, briefings, aircraft maintenance and a 39,600-foot hangar bay. Among the high-tech components is an area dedicated to night-vision goggle training.

“This high-tech training center will help CBP air operations meet our homeland security mission, today and into the future,” said Assistant Commissioner Michael C. Kostelnik, head of CBP Air and Marine. “We are charged with protecting the U.S. from terrorism and other threats, and we must be a learning organization that adopts new tools and adapts to changing intelligence. This facility will help us do that.”

Also speaking at the event were U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe and Rep. Mary Fallin, both of Oklahoma.

With 48,000 employees, CBP is the U.S.’s largest law enforcement organization that secures America’s borders at more than 300 air, land and sea ports. CBP’s Border Patrol secures land borders between the ports. CBP Air and Marine deploys more than 700 pilots and 267 aircraft to patrol the northern and southern U.S. borders, the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean off Southern California and Mexico as well as airspace extending to Central America.

CBP air assets also assist other federal agencies during law enforcement and surveillance operations and will provide search and rescue support during times of national emergencies.

The training center had been working out of a nearby temporary facility since 2002. The new building will help double the number of students trained, said center Steve Jordan, director of training. “Our air personnel provide the long distance eyes for CBP’s law enforcement activities,” Jordan said. “We detect, track and help intercept those who break U.S. laws.”

During last fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2007, air and marine personnel and assets were involved in law enforcement operations at home and abroad that resulted in the seizure of more than 87,000 pounds of cocaine and more than 307,000 pounds of marijuana. These operations also resulted in more than 1,200 arrests.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.